1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an articulate heart stabilizer.
2. Background Information
Blockage of a coronary artery may deprive the heart of blood and oxygen required to sustain life. The blockage may be removed with medication or by an angioplasty. For severe blockage a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is performed to bypass the blocked area of the artery. CAEG procedures are typically performed by splitting the sternum and pulling open the chest cavity to provide access to the heart. An incision is made in the artery adjacent to the blocked area. The internal mammary artery is then severed and attached to the artery at the point of incision. The internal mammary artery bypasses the blocked area of the artery to again provide a full flow of blood to the heart. Splitting the sternum and opening the chest cavity can create a tremendous trauma to the patient. Additionally, the cracked sternum prolongs the recovery period of the patient.
Computer Motion of Goleta, Calif. provides a system under the trademark ZEUS that allows a surgeon to perform a minimally invasive CABG procedure. The procedure is performed with instruments that are inserted through small incisions in the patient""s chest. The instruments are controlled by robotic arms. Movement of the robotic arms and actuation of the instrument end effectors are controlled by the surgeon through a pair of handles and a foot pedal that are coupled to an electronic controller. When performing a coronary procedure it is desirable to stabilize the heart. A heart stabilizer can be provided to limit the movement of the heart at the surgical site to reduce the complexity of performing the coronary procedure. To date there has not been developed a heart stabilizer that can be used in a minimally invasive procedure. A minimally invasive heart stabilizer must have enough dexterity to be maneuvered within the chest cavity of the patient.
There have been developed articulate retractors that are used in open-heart surgery. The articulate retractors have a pair of wrist joints that allow pivotally movement of a retractor relative to a handle shaft. The joints are spatially separated such that manipulation of the retractor is cumbersome and would be impractical for use in a minimally invasive procedure. It would therefore be desirable to provide a heart stabilizer that can be used in a minimally invasive procedure.
One embodiment of the present invention is a heart stabilizer that may include a wrist, which couples an end effector to a first linkage. The end effector and wrist may be inserted through an incision in the chest of a patient to assist in performing a minimally invasive coronary procedure. The end effector may be manually actuated by moving a lever of the stabilizer.